The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus including a developing device, such as a copying machine, a printer, etc.
Conventionally, there are electrophotographic type image forming apparatuses such as copying machines, laser beam printers, etc. A developing device incorporated in an electrophotographic type image forming apparatus uses a two-component developer composed of a carrier and a toner, or a single-component developer composed of only a toner. Generally, a two-component developer is prepared by uniformly agitating a carrier and a toner, and supplied to a developing roller. In addition, there are 1xc2xd component (new two-component type) developers, which are prepared by supplying a small amount of magnetic carrier in the vicinity of a developing roller, and only a magnetic toner is supplied to the developing roller. There is another type of 1xc2xd component developing device, in which a developer prepared by mixing a small amount of magnetic carrier and magnetic toner is supplied in the vicinity of a developing roller, and only the magnetic toner is supplied to the developing roller.
As is well known in the art, in an image forming apparatus employing any of the above-described developing method, a toner spatter prevention sheet is provided to the developing device such that one end of the toner spatter prevention sheet contacts the photosensitive drum, thereby preventing the toner from spattering from the developing device. However, there is a problem in that as the end portion of the toner spatter prevention sheet contacts the drum, striped images (white-striped images and black-striped images) tend to occur.
The present invention is proposed in view of the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus including means for removing generated ozone, which is capable of preventing the toner from spattering, avoiding such problems as white-striped images and black-striped images, and stably maintaining the image quality for a long time.
The image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes:
a photosensitive drum on which an electrostatic image is formed;
a developing device for developing the electrostatic image by a magnetic toner serving as a visualizing material carried by a developing sleeve, said developing device being located below the center of said photosensitive drum; and
a toner spatter prevention sheet provided near said photosensitive drum, having an ozone remover for removing ozone by absorbing and/or decomposing ozone.